We head to Munich for our first driving impressions of Audi’s revamped Category A COE-friendly A3. 

As far as first impressions go… We think this is a winner!

2024 Audi A3 30 TFSI MHEV Sportback

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Launched: 2024 – Price: TBC
Five-door, hatchback, five seats
112hp/220Nm, 1.5L turbocharged inline-four, petrol with mild hybrid

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PROS
Brilliant handling
Good packaging
Smoother delivery
Improved on-board tech
Excellent fuel economy

CONS
Will be more costly than the 1.0

Photos: Clifford Chow & Audi Germany
Text: Clifford Chow

MUNICH, GERMANY

When the fourth-generation Audi A3 landed in Singapore, it qualified as a Category B COE car. However, with COE prices in 2021 already on an uptrend, it was beginning to get quite costly. Audi then decided that a lower-powered 1.0-litre version of the car was the way to go to keep prices of the premium-badged compact competitive.

We touched down in Munich, and were almost immediately ushered to the Audi Training Centre, where we were initially greeted with three variants. The A3 Sportback, S3 Sedan, and new addition to the A3 family, the A3 allstreet crossover. However, given how expensive premium compact cars have become for us, there is no plan for the A3 allstreet for the Singapore market.

So…

What is new on the A3’s exterior?

The facelifted A3 retains much of its panelling, but it now does have a wider and moderately rounder singleframe grille. Its side intakes have also been enlarged, now sporting softer edges. There is also a diffuser incorporated into the bumper, contributing to the A3’s sportier image. The new headlamps incorporate three different Daytime Running Light (DRL) signatures, which you can select using the infotainment unit. You can add optional matrix LED headlights, which are great for high speed clarity; and they add one extra DRL light signature for you to select.

Three new colours, District Green, Ascari Blue, and Progressive Red have been added to the colour palette; our test A3 Sportback, which is in District Green, lends more contrast to the head and tail lamps.

Better on the inside

Most of the cockpit has been retained, which is a good thing, since it was originally built to be driver-focused. I like that Audi has also retained crucial physical buttons, located under the air-conditioning controls. One easily visible change is the tab for the gearshift, which Audi has swapped-out, in favour of one lifted right out of the e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT cars.

Our car has the S-line trim, identifiable by the red rhombus on the tailgate (I can already predict some future owners faking it with an ‘S’ or ‘RS’ sticker) which adds upgrades to interior lighting. So if you do like customisation, there are thirty light colours to choose from, and it comes in the form of contour lights that span the centre console. Further illumination has also been integrated into the new laser-cut door cards. The S-line trim also includes a head-up display, which makes obtaining information while driving on this rainy day in Bavaria so much easier.

The most significant improvement is its updated infotainment system. It now features an embedded app store, where a whole range of applications can be installed right into the infotainment system. Additionally, Amazon Alexa is readily available, allowing users to stream music, and also to send commands to smart devices located in their homes; all from the comfort of the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and to keep mobile devices charged, there is a good scatter of USB-C ports in the front and rear, and a wireless mobile phone charger, located at the base of the air-conditioning controls.

As for the rest of the interior, the A3 Sportback does not disappoint. It has decent legroom at the rear, while its spacious 380-litre two-level boot, space-wise is identical to its sister car, the Volkswagen Golf, and Bavarian counterpart, the BMW 1 Series.

Now the important bit… how it drives.

So there may be some mild confusion here, as the pre facelift 1.0-litre car was also badged as the A3 30… 30 which denotes (not so much the engine, but) the power tier. The A3 30 we are driving in this case, runs on the same 1.5-litre MHEV powertrain found in the pre-facelift A3, when it was first introduced in Singapore. Over here, it is however, in a lower state of tune, producing 116hp and 220Nm. In contrast, the 1.0 puts out 110hp and 200Nm. While the on-paper power and torque gains of the four-cyl are nothing much to shout about, it definitely has more “depth” than the 1.0; and right away, we note that it provides significantly better drivability, and smoothness.

Compared to the 1.0, you’d appreciate the 1.5’s wider torque band, as maximum twist is realised at around a lower 1,500rpm, and it tapers off at a higher 3,500rpm; in contrast, the 1.0-litre needs to work harder, since torque maxes-out at 2,000rpm, and tapers-off past 3,000rpm. Like previously, the new A3 is equipped with a 48-volt mild-hybrid (MHEV) system, which provides an additional boost upon heavier acceleration.

To attain its excellent fuel efficiency, the powertrain is paired with the familiar 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission. The gearbox is programmed to dis-connect, when you lift-off the accelerator, allowing you to coast over short distances. The MHEV tech keeps all of the compact Audi’s important bits alive, while the engine shuts-off for that duration. Further contributing to the A3’s fuel-sipping capabilities, Cylinder Deactivation tech shuts cylinders 2 and 3 off automatically when cruising, or when on idle. My drive out from Munich’s airport was rather brief, but even so, I managed 23km/l.

Perhaps for those who may like to drive their cars more enthusiastically, 116hp might seem on the low side. But even so, I feel that the A3 does keep in-step with regular traffic quite effortlessly. The transmission, which is tuned for economy, tends to not dwell on lower gears; and instead upshifts quickly to find top gear. Hence overall delivery comes across as rather relaxed.

BMW 116i Review: 1 for the money

Driving in the wet was probably the best test for the A3, as I put it through its paces through some B-roads. Over at the rear, Audi has retained the torsion rear suspension that was on the 1.0-litre, so the rear does skip a little over bumpy surfaces, but it is largely not noticeable. The 150hp car does benefit from the wishbone suspension at the rear.

So is it a winning formula?

I feel that Audi has gotten the formula right with the facelifted A3. A stylish compact premium with enough tech to impress buyers. With its milder four-cylinder engine qualifying it for a Category A COE, all bets are on that the updated A3 will do well, once it reaches our shores mid-2024.

2024 Audi A3 30 TFSI MHEV Sportback

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